Madrid Bus services

The Madrid bus network is a cheap and effective way to see the city whilst rapidly getting where you want to go.

The network is owned and run by the city of Madrid and having recognised efficient transport links make the city more productive they have invested heavily in the network.

Whilst the buses run daily between 0600 and 0100 there is also a "Night Bus" service which effectively provides 24hr coverage of the city.

As I cannot list every bus route here I can give you tips and hints to make their usage easier as well as directing you to the Official Madrid bus operators website in ENGLISH!

Catching a Bus

Fairly simple one would think however there are some things that will make life easier

Queing

- Spanish people do not queue in an orderly manner. Generally one bus stop will serve three or four different routes therefore the people awaiting their particular bus will be sat / standing around as the mood takes them and will only move forward to where the bus halts as they see their bus arriving. It is then a case of whoever gets to the front boards 1st... There is no priority for having waited the longest!

Drinking & Eating - It is considered bad manners to eat or drink on a bus. The exception is if you are carrying a bottle of water and take sips every so often.

Fans - To survive any Madrid bus journey in the summer you will need to fan yourself to keep cool. It is normal to see many people doing so whilst on the bus or awaiting the bus.

Call bell Buses will stop at each stop, "Parada", that has people waiting whether it is for that bus line or not. Even so you must use one of the buttons to signal you want to get off before you arrive at the stop. This is especially important if you are getting towards the end of one of the lines.

Madrid has an extensive night bus operation centering on the Plaza de Ciebeles in the Paseo de la Castellana. These services operate all night long and are both Safe & inexpensive

Residents Tip: Buy a combined "MetroBus" ticket for 10 trips, 10 Viajes, at the nearest Metro station. This can be used for both Bus and Metro and cannot be purchased on buses! This will save you over 50% against regular fares!